Into Reality
by KayRight
Summary: Gendry fantasied about being in Winterfell, with Arya by his side, but he never expected he'd actually make it. When he finally does, he doesn't know what to expect. Takes place after the season 7 finale.


Gendry had imagined Winterfell many times.

In his fantasies, he arrived at the winter city from his long journey from King's Landing in one piece and without distraction. He was working the smith for Robb's army, which was just on the brink of victory. Arya was by his side and they were both years younger, in age and experience. Even in his most farfetched daydreams, he never dared to imagine them anywhere but the past. That was the only place arriving in Winterfell or seeing Arya again ever seemed possible.

Even when Davos brought him to Jon, he couldn't imagine arriving here, in Winterfell, not without her. Everything he knew about Winterfell and the North had been tied to her. But here he was with Winterfell in view on the horizon and there was no tiny lady beside him. Instead, her half-brother, Jon, sat on a horse where she should have been.

Before traveling over the Wall with Jon, Gendry had heard the tales of his heroics. Since then Gendry had seen evidence of the truth to such rumors with his own eyes. He had seen that Jon never cowered to fear even in the face of White Walkers, but still Gendry thought of Jon first and foremost as just Arya's older brother. No matter how much time he spent with Jon, in Gendry's mind Jon was more likely to be lifting Arya onto a horse, an action Gendry had never actually witnessed, than brandishing a sword. Gendry couldn't understand why.

They no longer traveled in a small party. Instead, he was at the front of a large army lead by Jon and Daenerys. The army had come from White Harbor after Jamie Lannister had warned them of Cersei's betrayal. They now planned to regroup at Winterfell and hopefully add Winterfell's army before heading even further North towards the Wall and the White Walkers. Jon, Daenerys, and Davos remained silent on the realities of Jon's men actually aiding them, but Gendry suspected it might be harder than they wanted and the group might be in Winterfell longer than everyone hoped. Well everyone except Gendry, he was simply grateful to be there.

When he had first heard the news of their destination, Gendry had been excited. Davos had told Gendry that Arya was in Winterfell and the thought of seeing her after so long was all-consuming, but those thoughts quickly turned from joy to an overwhelming nervousness. No one knew he had known Arya. He wasn't sure how Jon would react to their history or even how Arya herself would respond to seeing him. It had been so long and the last time he saw her he had chosen the Brotherhood over her, and that had clearly been the wrong choice.

He had never regretted anything more than that decision. At the time, it had seemed better for both of them to live free of each other. He thought she would safely return to Winterfell and live under her brother's protection. Gendry had thought that if he had returned with her he would lose her. Her family would have been disgusted at their friendship let alone the budding feelings that he suspected she felt. She was a lady and he was a bastard. The Starks certainly would have pushed them apart and he didn't want her to have to choose between her family and him. The Brotherhood had seemed like an easier ending for the pair, but he was so wrong.

As the army drew nearer, Daenerys signaled for them to halt and for just the small group at the front to approach the gates. When they were firmly stopped, the gates protecting the city began to open to reveal a small group of people cloaked in thick, dark cloaks. At the center was a beautiful, pale redhead that Gendry assumed was Sansa Stark. She looked very little like Jon or Arya, but she had two wolves on the collar of her dress that immediately signaled her lineage. A large woman wearing armor and a boy about his age in red stood around the Lady of the North, but Gendry's eyes immediately found his lady.

Arya stood just to the left of Sansa. She had grown since the last time he saw her. Not too much in height, but she did look older – so much older. Her hair was longer and the top half was pulled back tight. Her eyes were hard and didn't show her emotions as they used to. Gendry immediately wondered how she had learned that lesson. He hoped it wasn't too brutal, but he had a sinking feeling that it might be worse than he could imagine.

Arya didn't seem to notice him. Her eyes were locked on the figure in front of the group – Jon. Arya's eyes softened and she blinked seemingly to keep tears at bay.

Gendry heard Jon say Arya's name, and in an instant, he was off his horse and running forward. Arya noticed his movement immediately and met him in the middle. The two embraced. Jon picked her up by her waist and twirled her in a circle.

Their laughter could easily be heard from both groups. Gendry looked up to see Sansa smiling softly at the pair. He wondered why she had not gone up to meet the siblings and join their hug. With so few Starks still alive, he couldn't imagine she was still as closed off as Arya used to describe.

Jon and Arya broke apart as Gendry and his group moved closer.

"Let's get you inside, brother," Arya said.

"Did you become a hostess while I was away?" Jon teased.

Arya snorted and let out a hearty laugh, "No amount of time could ever do the impossible."

"No, but luckily one of us did set up a few beds," Sansa said coming up to the pair with her small entourage following behind. "It's good to see you again, Jon. I'm afraid you brought back more company than we expected."

Sansa looked Daenerys up and down with a look of interest. Gendry could feel the tension just from her look and simple statement. Apparently, so could Arya. She looked up to Sansa and then across Jon's group and that is when her eyes landed on Gendry. Gendry was frozen in place. He didn't smile, he didn't dismount his horse, he only stared. He could see Arya's lips move, but couldn't hear what she said. Jon seemed to hear her though and after furrowing his brow at Arya he looked up in Gendry's direction. Before Gendry could react, Daenerys was responding to Sansa.

"We came to your brother's aid and now we have a mutual task ahead. A task that if we fail we will all perish," Daenerys said in her regal way. "But I do believe there is a better setting for this conversation than outside with this frigid air whipping around us. My men are fine to camp outside the borders of the wall, but my advisors and I seek entry. Entry promised to us by Jon Snow."

"I wouldn't dare break a promise made by King of the North, Jon Snow," Sansa said watching Daenerys closely for a reaction to the title. When she didn't react, Sansa sent a glare in her brother's direction.

"Good," Jon said. "Sansa, met me in my study I wish to speak with you. Davos, call the bannermen to a meeting after supper. We all have much to discuss."

"I wish to be present for both," Arya said.

Jon gave her an odd look and did a double take of the weapon at her side, but he nodded in agreement. Gendry assumed his role now was simply to follow orders, which he was perfectly fine with.

As the group entered Winterfell he fell to the back. Arya remained at the front of the group never looking back in his direction. Gendry followed his leaders towards the stables. When he dismounted his horse, he was surprised to see Jon standing just a few feet away.

"Gendry, I need to speak with you privately," Jon said motioning with his head towards a tower. "My quarters are there in that building. I need to talk with my sisters first, but wait just outside and come in immediately after they leave. Speak to no one until we talk. Understood?"

"Understood," Gendry said. He couldn't imagine what Jon had to discuss with him.

Gendry watching Jon, Sansa, and Arya disappear into the tower. Arya still had not looked in his direction, at least not that Gendry had seen. He had hoped she might be glad to see him. He had thought she might be angry for a moment and then eventually that anger would fade and it would turn to relief. He had never expected her to be so emotionless.

Gendry leaned against a wall silently obeying Jon's orders until he finally saw Sansa leave. There was no Arya by her side, but after a few minutes, he decided she might have just taken a different exit and he entered the tower. It was easy enough to find Jon's quarters there was only one stairwell and it led right to an open door that revealed Jon sitting at a desk looking over papers.

"Gendry, come in. I said to come up right away what took you so long?" Jon asked.

"I was waiting for Arya. She didn't leave with her sister" Gendry said stupidly while taking a seat across from Jon. "I never saw her leave, so I thought she might still be up here."

"Arya left with Sansa," Jon said. "How do you know Arya?"

"What?" Gendry asked surprised by this line of questioning.

"Arya, she said your name outside the gate and you say her name with a familiarity that I didn't expect."

"We met shortly after your father died. I was traveling North to join the Nights Watch and Arya had snuck into the group disguised as a boy as a way back to Winterfell. The group was intercepted and we never made it. We stayed together for a while but we eventually separated," Gendry said summing up his connection to Arya without revealing their closeness or that he was the reason the two separated and most likely why she never made it to Winterfell.

"Arya posed as a boy?" Jon asked with a laugh. "I have much to catch up on with her. Why did you never mention that you knew my sister?"

"You seemed to have a few other things on your mind," Gendry said. "And I never thought I would see her again."

"You were friends?" Jon asked. Gendry cursed himself for revealing his feelings through the softness in his voice.

"I thought of her as family, sir," Gendry said sincerely.

"I'm glad she had someone who considered her as much while she was away from us. I wouldn't know if she considers you the same, but her voice nearly broke when she first said your name," Jon said giving Gendry a curious look.

Gendry was silent letting Jon's comment sit between them. Finally, Jon broke the awkward silence.

"Well, enough of that. I asked you here to discuss your time at Winterfell."

"Sir?" Gendry asked thrown by the sudden topic change.

"Gendry while you're here you cannot tell anyone who your father is," Jon said seriously. "It puts you in danger from every direction."

"I don't want the thrown," Gendry said. "I'm just a blacksmith."

"And I'm just a man with a sword, but my father's blood runs through me all the same, just as your father's blood runs through you."

"I'm a bastard it shouldn't matter."

"But it does. I too am a bastard, Gendry," Jon said. "Telling people of your lineage puts you in danger. I've sworn my allegiance to Daenerys and when we defeat the White Walkers I plan to help her take the Iron Throne. I believe, if she knows who you truly are she'll see you as a threat to that. You have saved my life Gendry and you're a good man. You don't deserve to die because of who your father was. If you do want the throne, you have a real claim to it, but you will be facing dangers from every angle and I can't help you. If you truly don't want the throne, then you will be safer for it. Either way, Gendry I beg of you not to tell anyone who your father is while you remain in Winterfell."

"I don't want the thrown," Gendry said again. "All I've ever wanted was a simple life working the smith."

"Good, then we're agreed, you'll tell no one you are Robert Baratheon's son," Jon said.

"Agreed," Gendry said. Feeling as if the conversation was over, he started heading towards the door.

"Oh and Gendry," Jon said. "I think you should talk to Arya she looks as if she could use a friend."

"Yes, yes, I'll do that," Gendry said not sure how else to respond and he walked out the door.

Gendry stood in the hallway for a moment before heading outside. He wanted desperately to lay down for a moment. They had been traveling for days and, today alone, they had been on the horses for hours. Now that they were at a safe place it would be nice to take a moment to process all that had happened to him even in the last few hours.

Gendry asked a stable hand where the guests had been put up and followed his directions to an empty part of the castle. A few of the rooms had their doors closed and he assumed some of their group had already found their beds. He was excited at the prospect. He entered the room the stable hand had described and closed the door. As soon as he entered he sat down on the bed and removed his outer layer of robes. Not a moment later, he heard his door open and close to reveal Arya standing in his room.

"Arya," Gendry whispered.

"What are you doing here?" Arya asked in a harsh voice.

"This is my room."

"Not this room," Arya said getting closer. "Here in Winterfell."

"I came with Jon," Gendry said not moving from his position sitting on the bed. "I've been traveling with him."

"I thought you were dead," Arya said finally standing still in front of him.

"I'm not."

"I can see that."

"I'm glad you finally made it home."

"I'm glad you're not dead."

"Yeah me too," Gendry said with a laugh and Arya's lips finally turned up in a smile. Gendry stood up. "Arya I'm going to hug you."

He approached her slowly to give her plenty of time to move away from his approaching embrace. She stood rigidly, but she remained in place as he wrapped his arms around her. She stayed stiff for another minute before completely falling apart. Her body went slack in his arms staying upright only from him holding her up. Her face buried into his chest and her body shook with sobs. Tears fell freely from her cheeks. Gendry made comforting sounds and held her tight. He sat them both on the bed and continued to hold her until the crying stopped. Even when she seemed to be breathing normally again, she kept her body pressed against him.

"You were my family and you left," Arya said quietly into his chest.

"I know I'm sorry," Gendry said. "I should never have left you. I promise it'll never happen again. I'll go anywhere you go. I'll follow you anywhere, Arya. We'll do as you want this time."

"I've only ever wanted to get back to Winterfell," Arya said. "I don't even know where to go from here."

"We'll figure it out, together."

"Together," Arya said finally pulling away from his chest to look up into his eyes. In a softer voice, she added, "Finally, together."

Gendry leaned down towards her at the same time she was sitting up straighter to lean into him. His eyes darted down to his mouth and he wet his lips with want. He had thought about Arya a lot in their years apart, but he had never thought about kissing her. The last time he had seen her she was still a child and he was a gangly teenage boy. She was his best friend and he would have never have considered kissing her, but she was no longer a child and suddenly kissing her was all he could think about. And, he noticed, she seemed just as interested in kissing him as he was her. Still, Gendry hesitated. He didn't want to cross a line with her. He had already done so much wrong to ruin their relationship and he wouldn't hurt her again.

As Gendry hesitated, Arya made her move and, in the end, it was Arya who closed the space between them and initiated the kiss. Once her lips were on his he responded. He leaned into her and placed one hand on her waist and let the other move up to the side of her head. Her own hands fisted in his hair pulling him closer.

Her kiss was sloppy and he couldn't help but wonder if she had ever done this before. The thought spurred some deep protective instinct in him and he pulled away.

"Arya, we shouldn't do this," Gendry said.

"You promised you'd follow me anywhere, we'd do as I want," Arya said looking him deeply in the eyes. "This is what I want."

"Arya, I didn't mean this," Gendry said trying to put distance between them but she kept moving closer until his back was against the wall and she sat in front of him. "You're too young to make this decision and I'm too old for you to make it with."

"I'm no longer ten and you're no longer fifteen, Gendry. I'm nearly eighteen and you're twenty-two there's hardly a few years between us," Arya said. "Please, I don't want to be alone anymore. You promised."

"Arya…"

"Gendry, please," Arya pleaded.

With the look in her eyes so reminiscent of her pleading with him years ago he gave in. He leaned down and kissed her. He had loved her for years. Always as a best friend, but seeing her today having her so close. It was more than a friendship and he felt the same way as her. He was tired of being alone and he didn't want to let her go again. He deepened the kiss pushing his tongue into her mouth. She responded with vigor and moved her body so she was straddling his waist.

Without wasting any time, he moved his hands to her hips and pushed her against him developing a slow rhythm. Arya didn't waste any time either and began to remove her clothes. Not to be out down, Gendry followed her lead until they were both down to just pants. Arya hesitated at her drawstrings, so Gendry pushed her hands out of the way and began to slowly undo them. When they were loose enough to push off her hips, he flipped them over so he was above her. He began to push her pants down and she lifted her hips to help.

When they were off, Gendry's eyes roamed up and down her body. She certainly had grown up in the near decade since they had last seen each other. Gendry kissed up and down her body until she was gasping and shaking with need.

"Gendry take your pants off," Arya demanded.

"Yes, m'lady," Gendry said following her request and pushing his pants down.

Gendry was hard as a rock and when Arya slowly reached her hand up to touch him his hips jerked involuntarily. She gazed down at him with an innocent look of wonder and he gulped realizing his initial thought was probably accurate—she had never done this before.

"Arya, have you ever done this with a man before?" Gendry asked slowly pushing his body back down to hers settling between her legs while at the same time being sure to keep his cock away from her entrance.

"It doesn't matter," Arya said.

"It doesn't matter to me, but I'll want to be more gentle if you haven't," Gendry said kissing her neck softly to keep her turned on and ready for him.

"You don't need to be gentle," Arya said.

"And what if I want to be?"

"Well, if it's what you want then I suppose I'll be fine with it," Arya said moving her hands up and down his back spurred on by his actions at her neck.

"Gentle it is then, m'lady," Gendry said and Arya nodded in a firm and serious way that made him laugh.

He pushed her legs apart and slowly entered her. He could feel her gasp of pain and he forced his body to move even slower. She had definitely never done this before. He was a little relieved that she had somehow managed to remain untouched, not that he would care if she wasn't, but so many women and girls in Westeros lost their innocence unwillingly and much too soon.

"Arya, look at me," Gendry said.

Arya followed his instruction and looked up to meet his eyes. He stroked her cheek as he completely filled her. He stayed that way for a few deep breaths before she started to move and asked him to continue. He let out a sigh of relief and leaned down to kiss her as his hips started to pull back. He continued at a slow pace only speeding up when she started to moan loudly.

Before long he was thrusting fully and feeling the familiar build of an orgasm. He reached between them and flicked her clit pushing her towards the edge. He leaned his head down and tongued her breasts. Arya's moaning increased and after a few full strokes, she fell over the edge. Gendry was close to following, but by some miracle, he pulled out of her just in time. Unfortunately, this meant he came all over her stomach. He collapsed next to her and was already letting out apologize before he could even fully catch his breath.

To Gendry's surprise, Arya laughed, "It's okay, Gendry, better outside than inside."

"Let me get something to clean you up," Gendry said looking around the room. He finally settled on an extra blanket pushed to the floor from their earlier actions. He ran it over her stomach mopping up the cum until she was clean. "I'm sorry."

"It's really fine," Arya said. "That was all very nice actually."

"I'm glad to hear it," Gendry said smiling as he lay back down next to her. To his surprise, she cuddled into his side. He very willingly responded in kind by putting his arm around her and pulling her even closer.

"What's next?" Arya asked.

Gendry thought of his fantasies of him in Winterfell living in a world that no longer existed. He clung to those fantasies for so long because that's where his best friend lived. It was the only place he could see her and imagine a future, but now he was holding her in his arms and he couldn't imagine a better fantasy. He was tired of living in an imaginary world.

"Anything you want," Gendry said. "I'm going wherever you are."


End file.
